STRATEGIES
Develop strong verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills.
Learn to work well on a team.
Join related professional associations. Get involved in other campus organizations.
Take business courses or earn a business minor.
Gain experience through internships, part-time, or summer jobs.
Develop computer skills in areas such as spreadsheets, databases, and presentation
software.

EMPLOYERS
Private corporations
Public service organizations
Public opinion research firms
Public relations firms
Advertising agencies
Public opinion organizations
Radio and television companies
Sports and entertainment organizations
Hospitality and tourism industry
Nonprofit organizations
Consulting firms
Freelance

STRATEGIES
Develop excellent writing skills.
Gain experience through internships, even if unpaid.
Serve as public relations officer of an organization.
Take additional courses in marketing, advertising, public relations, or other
area of interest.
Develop a portfolio of writing samples, ad campaigns, and other relevant work.
Join related professional associations.
Be willing to move to locations with greater numbers of job opportunities.
Be prepared to start at the bottom and work to more desirable positions.

EMPLOYERS
Publishing firms including newspaper, magazine and book
Internet sites
Television and radio stations
Film industry

STRATEGIES
Develop excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.
Take elective courses in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, and advertising.
Develop research skills.
Work for campus or local newspaper, radio station, or television station.
Get related experience through internships, even if unpaid.
Learn desktop publishing, webpage design, and other computer skills.

STRATEGIES
Take courses in psychology, sociology, or social work to broaden perspective.
Volunteer with community and campus organizations.
Learn to work well with different types of people.
Develop a wide array of skills including writing, speaking, budgeting, grant
writing, and leadership.

EMPLOYERS
All branches of local, state and federal government
Political parties
Political action committees

STRATEGIES
Learn local, state, and federal government job application process.
Take courses in conflict management and develop negotiation skills.
Volunteer to work on a local political campaign.
Join related student organizations and earn leadership roles.
Find an internship with a government organization to get a foot in the door.
Maintain a strong grade point average as many government programs are very competitive.

STRATEGIES
Plan on attending a specialized paralegal training school or law school depending
upon area of interest.
Participate in a debate or forensic team to hone communication skills.
Join pre-law organizations.
Obtain a part-time or summer job at a law office.
Take courses in and gain experience with mediation and conflict resolution.

STRATEGIES
Ph.D. required for teaching and research in colleges and universities. Maintain
a high grade point average and secure strong faculty recommendations. Earn a
master's degree in college student personnel or a related field for administrative
positions. Get involved in campus leadership roles in residence halls, student
unions/activities, programming boards, etc.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Develop strong written and verbal communication skills and excellent interpersonal
skills.

Get experience with public speaking by joining Toastmasters.

Learn to work well on a team and develop leadership skills.

Explore specializations within major and professional field. Select electives
to enhance knowledge in area(s) of interest.

Speech communication is a broad degree that can lead to job opportunities in
many different fields. Skills and experiences gained through co-curricular activities,
internships, part-time jobs, and volunteering are critical in shaping a career
path.

Speech communication is also good preparation for graduate school in many disciplines.

Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University
of Tennessee, Knoxville. (2005) UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA
Employer